Turkey Tetrazzini is the ultimate casserole to make with leftover turkey! Made with a from-scratch creamy sauce, sauteed mushrooms, and leftover turkey, this creamy, comforting turkey tetrazzini comes together with ease to deliver a family favorite casserole.
Who else prepares extra roasted turkey just for the leftovers? From Southwest Turkey Soup to Instant Pot Turkey Noodle Soup to a Turkey and Cheddar Sandwich to this Turkey Tetrazzini, give me all the leftovers!
And this recipe for Homemade Turkey Tetrazzini is high on the list of favorite leftover turkey recipes for good reason!
Reasons to Love This Turkey Tetrazzini
- No Canned Soup. Instead of using canned mushroom soup, this recipe is made with a homemade mushroom cream sauce filled with fresh mushrooms and parmesan cheese. It is NEARLY as simple to make as using canned soup and tastes so much better!
- Cozy Comfort Food. Made with tender pasta, and leftover turkey, and baked with a crispy, buttery topping this creamy, hearty turkey casserole is guaranteed to
- Easy Recipe. After cooking Thanksgiving dinner all day, the last thing you want to do is slave in the kitchen. This recipe comes together with minimal effort to create a whole new delicious dish.
Notes on Ingredients
The following tips and notes are provided to help you achieve perfect results and make this recipe work using what you have on hand. You will find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Leftover Turkey: Leftover roasted turkey, Instant Pot Turkey Breast, or even rotisserie chicken all work well in this casserole.
- Noodles: Spaghetti noodles are classic in turkey tetrazzini. However, you can use rotini noodles, small shells, or elbow noodles if that is what you have on hand.
- Mushrooms: Use sliced button mushrooms or baby bella mushrooms in this casserole.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter to control the level of sodium in this casserole.
- Dry Sherry: A little bit of dry sherry adds incredible depth of flavor to the homemade cream sauce.
- Chicken Stock: Use either low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock. Of course, if you have turkey stock, that works great.
- Milk: Use any fat percentage of milk. For a really rich Turkey Tetrazzini, use half and half in place of the milk.
- Parmesan: While you can use pre-grated Parmesan cheese, freshly grated Parmesan adds the best flavor.
- Bread Crumbs: I recommend panko bread crumbs for the crispiest of toppings, but traditional bread crumbs can be used if that is all you have on hand.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme helps elevate this casserole and enhances the flavor of the turkey.
Substitutions
- No Sherry Wine? You can replace the sherry with dry white wine, such as chardonnay or Pinot Grigio, or dry marsala wine.
- Omit the Alcohol. If you don't care to cook with alcohol, use additional chicken stock in place of the sherry.
- No Fresh Thyme? Use ½ teaspoon of dried thyme leaves in place of the fresh thyme. Do not use ground thyme--the flavor is way too overpowering.
- Hate Mushrooms? Omit them! The sauce will be plenty delicious without the mushrooms.
- Add Another Vegetable. Feel free to add up to 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables or peas prior to baking the casserole.
- Swap the Turkey. Replace the cooked turkey with leftover rotisserie chicken, baked ham, or Instant Pot ham.
important note about using leftover turkey
Keep in mind that leftover turkey is only safe to consume for up to 4 days after baking unless frozen. It is best to prepare and consume Turkey Tetrazzini within 4 days of preparing turkey OR use defrosted frozen, cooked turkey.
Serving Suggestions
Turkey Tetrazzini is a delicious, hearty casserole that is best served with a fresh vegetable or salad on the side. Serve leftover vegetables or salad from your holiday meal or serve with one of the following dishes on the side.
- Green Beans Almondine
- Brussels Sprouts Salad
- Broccoli Salad
- Roasted Carrots
- Roasted Butternut Squash Salad
More Leftover Thanksgiving Recipes
- Southwest Turkey Soup
- Copycat Panera Roasted Turkey Sandwich
- Pierogi Lasagna
- Thanksgiving Egg Rolls
- Turkey Wrap
If you enjoyed this recipe for Turkey Tetrazzini, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.
Homemade Turkey Tetrazzini - No Canned Soup
This comforting classic pasta dish is made with chunks of turkey, mushrooms, a homemade cream sauce, and a crispy bread crumb topping.
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Servings: 12
Calories: 356kcal
Ingredients
For the Turkey Tetrazzini
- 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 8 ounces button mushrooms sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves (not ground thyme)
- ⅓ cup dry sherry or dry white wine or chicken stock
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 2 cups cooked turkey cubed
For the Topping
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon thyme leaves optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375℉ and butter a 9x13 inch baking dish or 4-quart casserole dish.
- While you are preparing the sauce, cook the noodles in heavily salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package directions state. Drain noodles, reserving ¼ cup of cooking liquid.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add in sliced mushrooms and cook until brown and most of the liquid evaporates. Add in thyme leaves and garlic, if using, and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour and cook for 1 minute to get rid of any raw flour taste.
- Add in the sherry wine (or equal amounts for dry white wine or chicken stock) and cook until the liquid evaporates.
- Slowly add in chicken stock, whisking into the mushrooms. Add in milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and bring the sauce to a simmer, and simmer for 5 minutes. Whisk in Parmesan cheese and turn off the heat.
- Add turkey and cooked noodles to the cream sauce and stir to combine. If the mixture seems too thick, add in the reserved pasta sauce.
- Pour the turkey and pasta mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
- Prepare bread crumb topping by mixing together the bread crumbs, parmesan, thyme, and butter together. Sprinkle that mixture evenly over the turkey casserole.
- Bake the turkey tetrazzini until bubbly and golden, for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
Turkey: In place of leftover turkey, use leftover chicken.
Noodles: Use regular or whole wheat spaghetti, rotini, or elbow noodles.
Sherry: Use dry sherry for best results. If you don't have sherry use dry white wine, dry marsala, or additional chicken stock in place of the sherry.
Bread Crumbs: I recommend panko bread crumbs for the crispiest of toppings, but traditional bread crumbs can be used.
Thyme: Do not use ground thyme, as it is way too overpowering.
Turkey: Keep in mind that leftover turkey is only safe to consume for up to 4 days after baking unless frozen. It is best to prepare and consume Turkey Tetrazzini within 4 days of preparing turkey OR use defrosted frozen, cooked turkey. Feel free to use ham or chicken in place of the turkey.
Hate Mushrooms? Omit them! The sauce will be plenty delicious without the mushrooms.
Add Another Vegetable. Feel free to add up to 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables or peas when combining the noodles and turkey into the sauce prior to baking the casserole.
Leftovers: Leftover turkey tetrazzini should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It is best to consume Turkey Tetrazzini within 4 days of preparing turkey OR use defrosted frozen, cooked turkey.
Nutrition
Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 588mg | Potassium: 545mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 378IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 2mg
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Karen Glenn
This looks delicious!! Can the leftovers be frozen?
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Karen! This is one recipe I don't recommend freezing due to the fact that the cream can separate a bit when thawed. It is safe to do so, but the texture may be a bit off-putting.
Alice Tucker
I made half recipe but it came out dry. Next time I’ll use more sauce and cover with foil
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Alice. Thanks for your feedback. It may have been that the cooking time needed reduced or a smaller pan needed to be used.
Sulo
Thank you for this basic delicious recipe - i was looking a long time for a classic Turkey Tetrazinni without added peas, peppers etc. This is perfect with a green salad and focaccia or baguette.
Mindy
Delicious!! Made according to recipe. Used milk, marsala cooking wine, Italian seasoning. That and nutmeg gives nice flavor.
Kristen Chidsey
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
Berie
Thank you!!!